Asia Fashion Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 80 Week of 14 September 2026
(1) COLLAR’s Marf Yau Attends Tokyo Event Alongside BLACKPINK’s Rosé, Showcasing Personal Styling Innovation
COLLAR member Marf Yau attended a Tokyo brand event alongside BLACKPINK’s Rosé to celebrate Levi’s new collaborative denim capsule. Showcasing her personal style by reinterpreting a denim jacket into a skirt, Marf highlighted how personal creativity and family influences continue to drive her fashion choices.
(2) Hong Kong Ballet Executive Director Heidi Lee Explores Interdisciplinary Aesthetics of Fashion and Ballet
Hong Kong Ballet Executive Director Heidi Lee highlighted the artistic synergy between fashion and ballet during Hong Kong Fashion Fest 2026. Featuring Robert Wun’s costume design for No-Legged Bird, the piece highlights the historical connection, creative innovation, and sustainable practices uniting both disciplines.
NikeSKIMS officially debuted in Mainland China, choosing Shanghai for its first offline pop-up launching September 29, 2026. Featuring Hong Kong swimmer Stephanie Au in its launch campaign, the line debuts nine performance fabric series combining activewear functionality with body-shaping design.
(4) 5th Hong Kong Denim Festival Debuts “The Denim Edit” Showcasing Hong Kong and South Korean Creative Fusion
Funded by CCIDA as part of the 3rd Hong Kong Fashion Fest, the 5th Hong Kong Denim Festival presented “The Denim Edit.” Uniting local designers with South Korean creative talents, the showcase highlights innovative denim craftsmanship, cross-border fashion exchange, and sustainable textile design across retail and exhibition platforms.
(1) COLLAR’s Marf Yau Attends Tokyo Event Alongside BLACKPINK’s Rosé, Showcasing Personal Styling Innovation
(Photo Credit: hk01)
Marf Yau, a member of the Hong Kong girl group COLLAR, traveled to Tokyo on September 14, 2026, for a high-profile brand event by denim giant Levi’s. The showcase marked the official launch of a limited-edition collaboration capsule designed in partnership with global ambassador Rosé of BLACKPINK. Sharing the venue with Rosé, Marf commended the K-pop star’s confident and laid-back sense of style, describing her aesthetic as cute yet bold.
During the event, Marf previewed the new capsule—comprising custom trucker jackets and loose boot jeans—and embraced the theme of personal creative expression by deconstructing and styling a denim jacket into a unique denim skirt. Highlighting the creative versatility offered by the brand, Marf noted that tailoring outfits according to personal inspiration remains central to her fashion philosophy.
Reflecting on her style journey, Marf credited her mother as her earliest fashion inspiration, alongside the professional guidance of her stylists since joining the entertainment industry. The international appearance underscores the expanding global profile and brand equity of Hong Kong’s new-generation pop idols, demonstrating how local creative talent continues to interface with major international fashion and entertainment ecosystems across the Asia-Pacific region.
(2) Hong Kong Ballet Executive Director Heidi Lee Explores Interdisciplinary Aesthetics of Fashion and Ballet
(Photo Credit: Sing Tao)
The cultural intersection between high fashion and classical dance takes center stage during the 3rd Hong Kong Fashion Fest in September 2026. The Hong Kong Ballet collaborated on the cross-disciplinary work No-Legged Bird, featuring costume design by haute couture designer Robert Wun alongside choreography by Ricky Hu and Eva Mak, demonstrating the dynamic synergy between contemporary couture and balletic performance art.
The article traces the historic dialogue between both art forms back to 1832, when Swedish ballerina Marie Taglioni performed in a lightweight white tulle tutu, transforming dancer posture and movement into an enduring focal point for global fashion designers. Highlighting Hong Kong Ballet’s ongoing artistic partnerships, Lee emphasized the company’s focus on innovation and environmental sustainability, noting recent collaborations with local designers that incorporate recycled textiles and low-carbon dyeing technologies into costume production.
By bridging heritage craftsmanship with modern eco-conscious practices, the dialogue between fashion and ballet continues to elevate Hong Kong’s cultural ecosystem and reinforce its role as a hub for artistic innovation.
(3) NikeSKIMS Enters Mainland China Market with Hong Kong Swimmer Stephanie Au Starring in Launch Campaign
(Photo Credit: hket)
Joint activewear brand NikeSKIMS announced its official entry into the Mainland China market, establishing Shanghai as its initial debut destination. Designed to combine Nike’s performance textiles and sports science with SKIMS’ focus on body shape and fit, the brand’s first China offline experience pop-up is scheduled to open at Shanghai HKRI Taikoo Hui on September 29, 2026, running through February 2027.
The brand’s debut release features nine core apparel fabric lines alongside footwear and accessories. Incorporating Nike Dri-FIT technology, the collection spans versatile offerings including Performance Cotton Blend, Weightless, Studio Stretch, Matte, Stretch Nylon, Ribbed Seamless, Satin Shine, Stretch Knit 2.0, and Airy. To mark the launch, the campaign features world-class female athletes including Hong Kong Olympic swimmer Stephanie Au, Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam, American snowboarder Chloe Kim, and American hurdler Anna Cockrell to demonstrate performance and personal style.
The entry into China represents a strategic expansion into one of the world’s most dynamic activewear markets. Through dedicated pop-up activations, tailored product alteration services, and community-driven events, NikeSKIMS aims to capture growing demand among modern female consumers for functional, style-driven performance apparel.
(4) 5th Hong Kong Denim Festival Debuts “The Denim Edit” Showcasing Hong Kong and South Korean Creative Fusion
(Photo Credit: worldjournal.com)
The 5th Hong Kong Denim Festival opened in September 2026 as a flagship component of the 3rd Hong Kong Fashion Fest, funded by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA). Organized to promote local textile craftsmanship and international design collaboration, this year’s edition highlights “The Denim Edit,” a cross-cultural showcase bringing together leading design talents from Hong Kong and South Korea.
The festival features curated runway presentations, pop-up installations, and interactive design workshops that explore contemporary denim aesthetics, deconstructed tailoring, and eco-friendly manufacturing techniques. By uniting emerging Hong Kong designers with South Korean streetwear creators, “The Denim Edit” presents avant-garde collections that re-imagine traditional utility wear into high-fashion Statements. Additionally, retail pop-ups and commercial brand activations extend the festival’s reach to consumers across major Hong Kong shopping hubs.
The event underscores CCIDA’s strategic mission to reinforce Hong Kong’s role as Asia’s leading fashion exchange hub. By fostering cross-border artistic partnerships and integrating sustainable fabric innovation, the 5th Hong Kong Denim Festival bridges local industrial heritage with global streetwear culture and commercial growth.
